en
- Adventure
- 9-day trip
- From €6,200 p.p.
Galapagos trip | Diving at the Galapagos
For true diving enthusiasts, this cruise is a dream come true. Not only will you travel to one of the world’s most spectacular eco-destinations, the Galapagos Islands, but you’ll also discover an unspoilt underwater world around islands that other cruises don’t visit. An absolute privilege and a genuine‘Discovery Channel experience’ of a lifetime!
After a night in Quito, the capital of Ecuador, you’ll travel to the Galápagos archipelago where you’ll board the Aqua Yacht. The first dive is on the north-eastern side of Isabela Island at Cape Marshall, where you’ll marvel at giant manta rays. Next on the itinerary are Darwin and Wolf Islands. These islands are not visited by other cruises, as you cannot go ashore, but they are renowned as some of the best diving spots in the world. Dive into the water and be amazed by, amongst other things, schools of hammerhead sharks, Galápagos sharks, large groups of dolphins, mobula rays, silky sharks and pelagic schools. You’ll then go diving at Punta Vicente Roca and Cape Douglas, both located near Isabela Island. Swimming amongst the Galápagos green turtles is a truly unforgettable experience. Your final dive will be at Cousin’s Rock, situated north-east of Santiago Island, where the beautiful reefs create a stunning underwater world. Upon arrival at Santa Cruz Island, you’ll go ashore to enjoy a lovely hike through the Highlands before travelling back home.
Travel programme
Travel overview
- Day 1 Flight to Ecuador
- Day 2 Journey to the Galápagos Islands
- Day 3 Cape Marshall and City of the Mantas
- Day 4 Darwin Island
- Day 5 Darwin & Wolf Islands
- Day 6 Wolf Island
- Day 7 Vincente Roca Point & Cape Douglas
- Day 8 Cousin’s Rock & Santa Cruz
- Day 9 Departure from the Galápagos
- Day 10 Arrival
Air travel to Ecuador
Arrival in Quito. You will start your journey in this Andean capital of Ecuador. On arrival, you will be welcomed by our local representative, after which you will be transferred to your hotel. Here you can recover from the flight.
Inclusief:
- Meet & Greet at the airport
- Private transfer to your hotel
- Overnight accommodation including breakfast
Exclusief:
- International flight
Travel to the Galapagos Islands
The coming days will be all about the Galápagos Archipelago – the group of islands that inspired Charles Darwin to develop his theory of evolution. On these remote volcanic islands, a thousand kilometres off the Ecuadorian coast, you’ll find an extraordinary level of biodiversity. Many animal species are found nowhere else in the world. You’ll find marine iguanas, giant Galápagos tortoises and blue-footed boobies. Sea lions, penguins and albatrosses also call the archipelago home. Beneath the surface of the sea, just like on land, life teems. Marine mammals and fish, including whales, manta rays and hammerhead sharks, inhabit the ocean.
On arrival at Baltra Airport, you’ll be transferred to the harbour where you’ll board the yacht. You’ll be welcomed by the crew of the Aqua Yacht and sail on to your first destination: Baltra North East. Here, you’ll disembark briefly to try on your wetsuit. Make sure you feel comfortable with your kit; after all, you’ll be using it throughout the entire diving trip! At the end of the afternoon, you’ll return on board for dinner and sail overnight to your next destination.
Inclusief:
- Private transfer to the airport
- Domestic flight Quito - Baltra
- Group transfer to the port
- 8 days/7 nights Aqua Yacht Galapagos dive programme on a full board basis including group dive excursions organised from the cruise with knowledgeable guides
Cape Marshall and City of the Mantas
Today you will sail on to Cape Marshall; this area on the north-east side of the island of Isabela offers some great diving spots. One of these is 'Ciudad de las Mantas' or 'City of the Mantas', named after the fact that it is very common to see giant mantas swimming here. The plankton-rich waters of this area are an attraction for many species of rays, sharks, sea lions, turtles and so on. An ideal place to anchor and dive this beautiful underwater world. You will have all day here to dive and explore the various beautiful dive sites this stop has to offer.
Inclusief:
- Two dives at Cape Marshall
- A dive at City of the Mantas
- 8 days/7 nights Aqua Yacht Galapagos dive programme on full board basis
The Darwin Island
Today’s yacht trip takes you to Darwin Island. Expert divers consider this dive site to be the best in the world. In just one dive, you can spot a wealth of marine life, such as schooling hammerhead sharks, Galápagos sharks, large pods of dolphins, mobula rays, silky sharks and many more creatures found in this exceptional underwater world!
The island is one of the smallest in the archipelago. The island rises vertically out of the sea, making it difficult to access. Fortunately, the island’s main attractions are not on the island itself but in the sea surrounding it. Together with the nearby Wolf Island, this island is one of the world’s best diving spots. You’ll have the whole day to go on several dives here and decide for yourself whether this really is the best diving spot in the world.
Inclusief:
- Four dives at Darwin island
- 8 days/7 nights Aqua Yacht Galapagos dive programme on full board basis
Darwin & Wolf Islands
In the morning, you’ll spend a little more time around Darwin Island to enjoy one last dive before setting off for the next island, Wolf Island. The protected waters around the remote islands of Darwin and Wolf contain the highest concentrations of sharks in the world, including giant whale sharks, and are one of the very last refuges for spectacular schools of hammerhead sharks worldwide.
Darwin and Wolf may well be famous diving destinations, but they are actually just small volcanic islets with steep cliffs that make landing on the islands impossible, yet offer fantastic dive sites. Get ready for unique surprises, not only with the sharks, but also with large schools of pelagic fish, so-called underwater cleaning stations and an incredible variety of fish species.
Inclusief:
- Two dives at Darwin Island
- Two dives at Wolf Island
- 8 days/7 nights Aqua Yacht Galapagos dive programme on full board basis
Wolf Island
Around Wolf Island, birds such as red-legged boobies and vampire finches can be seen from the boat. Shoaling Pelagic species is the main attraction, but you can also find hammerheads, whitetails and Galapagos sharks in the water. It is no exaggeration to say that the diving experience in the area around Wolf Island is comparable to your own Discovery Channel documentary! This day is all about diving, with three dives around Wolf Island, enjoying the views both above and below the water.
Inclusief:
- Three dives at Wolf Island
- 8 days/7 nights Aqua Yacht Galapagos dive programme on full board basis
Cousin's Rock & Santa Cruz
The next destination on this spectacular diving cruise is Cousin’s Rock. This triangular volcanic rock formation, home to blue-footed boobies, brown pelicans and Galápagos fur seals, is the tip of a large underwater cone. Here you’ll find stunningly beautiful reefs with colourful algae, molluscs, sponges, sea fans and endemic black coral, surrounded by a variety of colourful fish, as well as numerous white-spotted eagle rays that keep the waters and reefs here clean.
Later in the afternoon, you’ll sail towards the final stop on the diving tour. You’ll arrive by boat at the island of Santa Cruz and will then be taken to the village of Bellavista, from where the hike to the Santa Cruz Highlands begins. This walk passes through the agricultural zone, near the boundary of the National Park, the Miconia Zone, and then continues into the fern and marshland zone. A wonderful hike to admire the unique landscape and wildlife of the Highlands.
Inclusief:
- Two dives at Cousin's Rock
- Highlands walking tour on Santa Cruz
- 8 days/7 nights Aqua Yacht Galapagos dive programme on full board basis
Accommodations
Ikala Quito Hotel
The Anahí Boutique Hotel values personal and good service, with 15 suites decorated with luxurious details of colonial, rustic, ecological and modern styles that are part of Ecuador's richness.
Your stay: 1 night
Aqua Yacht
The Aqua Yacht is the only ship authorised to offer two types of itineraries in the Galapagos Islands. Both itineraries are 8-day cruises. The naturalist itinerary lets visitors explore the islands and see some of the amazing animals that inspired Darwin's theory of evolution, and the diving itinerary lets...
The Aqua Yacht is the only ship authorised to offer two types of itineraries in the Galapagos Islands. Both itineraries are 8-day cruises. The naturalist itinerary lets visitors explore the islands and see some of the amazing animals that inspired Darwin's theory of evolution, and the dive itinerary lets divers explore the islands' rich ecosystem, accompanied by expert divers.
Up to 16 guests can be accommodated in eight comfortable cabins; some on the upper deck and some on the lower deck. All cabins have private bathrooms, electricity, air conditioning and other amenities to ensure a comfortable cruise.
Your stay: 7 nights
Experiences
Wolf Island diving
Wolf Island is one of the best dive sites in the world because of its pristine ecosystem and abundance of marine life.
Destinations
Baltra Island
Located in the central part of the Galapagos archipelago, the small, flat island of Baltra (South Seymour Island) is the only island that is not part of the Galapagos National Park, being a military base and home to the local airport. With its extremely dry landscape and sparse vegetation, it can seem like another planet. Since the island is designated as a non-visitor site, travellers arriving in Baltra will be immediately bused to one of two ports, where they will board a cruise ship that will take them to Santa Cruz island.
Darwin Island
Located on the Pacific Ocean off the west coast of South America, almost 1,000 kilometres from Ecuador, the mystical Galapogas Islands are known for their historical significance and ecotourism. Darwin Island, named after the scientist Charles Darwin, is one of the smallest islands in the archipelago with an area of just one square kilometre. The main attraction of this remote island is the enormous abundance and diversity of marine life living in the surrounding waters. It has no dry landing site as it rises abruptly vertically from the ocean, making it popular with liveaboard diving vessels. The Arch, also called 'Darwin's Arch, is known for its abundance of birds and its spectacular diving opportunities. Visitors can look forward to immersing themselves in this natural mecca and spotting dolphins, manta rays, humpback whales, sharks and hammerhead sharks; or watch the elaborate courtship rituals of the great frigatebird trying to secure a mate with its red inflatable neck bag.
Santa Cruz Island
Santa Cruz is centrally located and also the second largest island in the archipelago. Puerto Ayora is located here which in turn is the largest city in the Galapagos. Here you will therefore find everything else you could possibly need (from ATMs to bars and internet cafés). For visitors, it is a very varied island where all kinds of things can be undertaken.
Isabela Island
Isabela Island has no fewer than five volcanoes for which Volcano Wolf is the highest at over 1,700 metres, making it the highest point in Galapagos. The largest turtle population houses near the volcano Alcedo. Near Villamil are saltwater lakes where flamingos, among others, come to feed.
Galapagos Islands
The archipelago that inspired Charles Darwin to formulate his theory of evolution. On these remote volcanic islands, a thousand kilometres off the Ecuadorian coast, you’ll find extraordinary biodiversity. Many animal species are found nowhere else in the world. Here you’ll find marine iguanas, giant Galápagos tortoises and blue-footed boobies. Sea lions, penguins and albatrosses also call this place home. Beneath the surface of the sea, just as on land, life teems. Marine mammals and fish, including whales, manta rays and hammerhead sharks, inhabit the ocean.
Please note: The Galápagos Archipelago is a protected nature reserve where strict regulations must be observed during your visit; always follow your guide’s instructions to ensure you do not cause any damage to this very special and unique ecosystem.
Fernandina Island
The westernmost island of the Galapagos, Fernandina (Narborough) is the youngest and most active volcanic island with several eruptions per year. The island boasts an amazingly pristine landscape with all kinds of lava flows and some spectacular mangrove forests. The island is home to a diversity of different wildlife, including the famous cormorants, Galapagos penguins, pelicans, Galapagos sea lions and the largest colony of iguanas. Punta Espinosa is the only place on the island where the unique Lava Cactus can be seen as well as the breathtaking mass of iguanas.
Santiago Island
Northeast of Santa Cruz Island lies the elongated Santiago Island, also known as San Salvador Island or James Island. The island's best spot is undoubtedly Puerto Egas, where you will find a long lava coast with rock formations with an impressive variety of wildlife, including iguanas and fur seals. While geology lovers should head to Sullivan Bay to explore the black lava flow, diving enthusiasts can enjoy the Cousin's Rock dive site. This site is home to a triangular rock that rises about 10 metres above the water and consists of layers of volcanic rock.
Quito
Quito averages 2,850 metres above sea level in the Andes mountains. The colonial downtown was one of the first city centres to be inscribed on the World Heritage List and is beautifully maintained. Quito is ranked among the continent's most beautiful cities. It also has one of the largest colonial centres in Latin America; only Havana in Cuba has a larger historic core, but is not nearly as beautifully restored. Outside the old city centre, Quito also has modern neighbourhoods.... On a clear day, Quito offers stunning views of the snow-capped summit of the Cotopaxi volcano. And where Rio de Janeiro has the famous statue of Christ, in Quito a stone Maria looks out over the city from the 'Panecillo' hill.
Ecuador
Galapagos National Park
The spectacular Galápagos National Park is situated approximately 1,000 kilometres off the coast of Ecuador on Santa Cruz Island in the Galápagos archipelago. The park is often referred to as a ‘living museum’ due to its phenomenal melting pot of species.
The area inspired Charles Darwin’s theories of evolution and is regarded as a living laboratory where evolution is still taking place. The park is home to a variety of animals and plants found nowhere else. These factors, together with ongoing volcanic and seismic activity, have earned the park its UNESCO status.
Visitors can spot animals such as land iguanas, giant tortoises, a variety of finches and many other animal and plant species. Situated at the confluence of three ocean currents, there is also an incredibly rich and abundant marine life off the coast.
Please note: The Galápagos Archipelago is a protected nature reserve where strict regulations must be observed during your visit; always follow your guide’s instructions to ensure you do not cause any damage to this very special and unique ecosystem.
Northern Andes Ecuador
With a dramatic landscape of soaring peaks, numerous volcanoes and exuberant cloud forests are the Northern Andes, a long, narrow plateau looming over Ecuador's western region. Visitors to the area can lose themselves in the wide variety of things to do on the mountain slopes, ranging from exciting outdoor activities to fascinating cultural experiences. Highlights include a scenic hike and canopy tour along the verdant landscape of Mindo Cloud Forest and a stroll along the cobblestone streets of Quito's Old Town to see the beautiful colonial architecture. Don't miss a visit to the small town of Otavalo, home to the hugely popular Otavalo Market, known as the largest market for traditional jewellery, textiles and handicrafts in South America.
Galapagos trip | Diving at the Galapagos
We offer the described trip from €6,200 per person.
The price is indicative and is subject to factors including availability and travel dates.
Included
• Domestic flights
• Overnight stay in charming accommodation in Quito
• 8-day Aqua Yacht Galapagos diving cruise on a full-board basis, including group diving excursions, 12-litre air tanks, weights, belts, diving equipment (Personal Marine Rescue GPS) & towels
• All meals as specified in the ‘itinerary’
• All excursions as mentioned in the ‘programme’
• Galapagos Islands Transit Card (approx. US$20 per person, payable in cash)
• All necessary transfers as specified
• Administration fees (€50 per booking)
Positive impact of your trip:
• Contribution of €50 per person towards a positive impact via the Avila Foundation
Not included
• International flights
• Room category upgrade
• Travel and/or cancellation insurance
• Galápagos National Park entry fees (approx. US$220 per person, payable in cash)
• Tourist tax (where applicable)
• The Aqua Yacht Galapagos diving cruise does not include:
- Soft drinks and alcoholic beverages
- Hire of full diving equipment (BCD, regulator, mask, fins, 7 mm wetsuits, hoods, gloves, boots, torch
- Nitrox (approx. US$ 150 per person, payable in cash)
• Seat reservations
• Personal expenses/tips
• Entrance fees where applicable
• Meals not specified and optional excursions
• Contribution to the Contingency Fund (€2.50 per booking)
• SGR contribution (€5 per person)